Tape puller



Oct. 13, 1936. W- 5 pRlTCHARD y Re. 20,130

TAPE FULLER Original Filed Aprilx'?, 1928 26 l NVENTOR Ressued Oct. 13,1936 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE TAPE FULLER William S. Pritchard, MountVernon, N. Y., as-

signor to Trans-Lux Daylight Picture Screen Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware 9Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for feeding tape and moreparticularly to an apparatus for feeding or pulling tape intermittentlyejected from a data-recording machine through a projection system.

Apparatus has been devised whereby the tape ejected from adata-recording device may be fed across a table or other support fromwhich images of the data on the tape may be obtained upon a screen. Theapparatus heretofore used included a feeding or pulling means controlledby the tension in the tape. I have found that I am able to obtain asatisfactory feeding of the tape and a satisfactory projection bycontrolling the feed mechanism independently of the tape and through thedata-recording device.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a tape feedingmechanism adapted to be used in a data-recording-projection-systemcontrolled by the data-recording means and independent of the tape.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tape feedingmechanism including means to increase the speed of the feeding mechanismwhen the tape has not been taken up or fed through the apparatus asrapidly as delivered, said feeding mechanism being controlled throughthe data-recording device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tape feedingmechanism controlled by the datarecording device through a switch-likemechanism which does not operate said feeding mechanism until apredetermined loop of tape is formed.

Further objects will appear from the following 35 description, appendedclaims and the accompanying drawing in which: l

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention andshowing the datarecording device and the projection systemdiagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram showing the connection of the partsillustrating the operation of the device.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference numerals designate likeparts, the reference numeral I designates a data-recording devicemounted on a suitable base 2. This data-recordlng device may be thestandard Western Union ticker and. since the details thereof do not forman essential part of this invention, further description thereof is heredeemed unnecessary.

A tape 3 printed in the data-recording device is intermittently ejectedtherefrom, forming a loop I. 'Ihe ejected tape 3 is pulled or fed bymeans of a feed mechanism across a transparent support, such as a glasstable 5. When in position on the support, images of the data or otherindicia on the tape are obtained, by means of a projection system 6, ona screen 1. If necessary, mirrors or reflectors 8 may be used totransmit or direct the rays or beams of light into proper position. Thedetails of the projection system, since they, too, do not form anessential part of this invention, are not here described.

'I'he feeding mechanism which draws the tape from the loop 4 adjacentthe ticker across the projection table comprises a guide roll 9, afeeding or pulling roll I0 and a pressure roll I I mounted incooperative relation with said pulling roll. periphery and is connectedto a. motor I2 through a worm and gear (not shown), whereby the motionof the motor I2 is transmitted to the pulling roll III.

Mounted at any suitable place on the machine, and preferably on the gearcasing I3 by means of screws I 4, is a contact or switch element I5having an insulated portion I6 and conductive portion I1. A bell-cranklever I8 is pivotally mounted on a pin I9 so that one arm 20 thereof isnormally in contact with the insulated portion I6 of the contactelement. The other arm 2I of the bell-crank lever I8 is mounted adjacenta solenoid 22 of the plunger type and connected thereto through a link23 for reasons hereinafter explained. As stated above, the arm of thebell-crank lever I8 is normally in position on the insulated portion ofsaid segment. This may be accomplished by connecting the end of the arm2| to a spring 24 which will continually urge it upward. It, however,may be made to assume this position by various other means. Forinstance, the center of gravity of the bell-crank lever may be made tobe at such a point that it will normally tend to keep the arm inposition on the insulated portion. The plunger 25 of the solenoid 22 isattached to a dash pot 26 of any well-known construction and itsfunction will become apparent from the operation of the machine givenhereinafter.

On the loop of tape II, there rides a spring contact member 21 which,when the loop has increased to a predetermined size, separates fromanother spring contact member 28 and opens the shunt eld circuit 29a ofthe motor, whereby the speed of said motor is increased. An adjustableresistance 29 may be connected across the shunt eld circuit 29a.

In the operation of the machine, the ticker I, as it prints and ejectsthe tape therefrom, through The pulling roll III may have a knurled itspress arm 30, makes and breaks a circuit including the solenoid 22.These impulses cause the plunger 25 in the solenoid to move downwardyattracting and pulling with it the arm 2| of the bell-crank lever I8.Due to the arrangement of the arms, the arm 20 is caused to advanceacross the insulated portion I6 on to the conductive portion I1 of thecontact element. When the arm 2|) is on the conducting portion I1, acircuit is closed (see Figure 2), and the motor operated whereby itsmotion is transmitted to the tape pulling or feeding roll.

The insulated portion I6 is made of such a size that it requires severalimpulses to advance the arm 20 to the conductive portion I1. Since themotor mechanism is notV operating during these impulses, the tapeejected from the tickery forms the loop 4. In other words, the mechanismforms a loop prior to starting the operation of the pulling mechanism.

If, during the operation, the tape is ejected from the ticker fasterthan it is taken up or pulled through the apparatus, the loop 4increases in size and, accordingly, the contact 21 separates from thecontact 28, whereby the shunt i-leld circuit of the motor is opened.This causes the motor to speed up and the pulling or feeding mechanismto operate faster. This circuit remains open so long as the loop switchis open. When the loop has become shortened or smaller in size, thecontacts 21 and 28 reengage thereby closing the shunt field motorcircuit and allowingthe motor to run at its usual and normal rate ofspeed. 'I'he resistance 29 inserted in the motor field circuit is anadjustable one and by adjusting it the increase of the speed of themotor may be manually controlled at will. f

In operation, if the ticker should stop operating and the circuitopened, the spring 23 pulling upward on the arm 2| of the bell-cranklever would tend to move the arm 20 from the conducting portion I1 tothe insulated portion I6. This movement, however, is greatly retarded bythe action of the dash pot 26 to which one end of the plunger 25 of thesolenoid 22 is attached. Due to this construction, the rate of movementof the arm 2li is so adjusted that the loop formed prior to theoperation of the motor mechanism is drawn out as the arm is vurged toits normal position on the insulation.

'Io prevent the intermittent jerky motion of the tape as it leaves theticker from being transmitted to the tape `on the table, I may dispose atension device adjacentY the end of the table next the ticker so as tomaintain the tape resiliently in contact therewith. This tension deviceis exemplified by a curved or .l-shaped spring 3| supported by a bracket32 and acting as a brake on the tape by contacting therewith. The J-spring 3| may contact with any portion of the tape, but I prefer to haveit contact with the tape at its middle portion. The braking action ofthis member is suflicient to `prevent the tape from being pushed alongthe table by the same force which ejects it from the ticker, but isinsufficient to prevent the tape from being pulled along the table bythe motor mechanism.

I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction abovedescribed except as defined in the claims, since it will be obvious toany one skilled in the art that various modifications may be madewithout departing from the nature of the invention. For instance,instead of havying the circuit through the switch and the motoroperating continuously, it may be formed through the ticker press armand operate the motor in synchronism with the ticker. Also variousswitch and contact elements diierent from the one herein specificallydescribed may be used and various means may be used to maintain the arm2U on the insulation I6.

Ordinarily, when practicing my invention, the tape is drawn through aprojection field or projection system. It shall be understood, however,that my invention is not to be thus limited since, as well, the tapemaybe drawn along a path so arranged that said tape may be directlyviewed. Therefore, in the appended claims, the term projection systemshall be understood as generically comprehending a projection field,observation region, or the like.

I claim:

1. In combination, a data-recording device adapted to eject a tapetherefrom, a tape pulling mechanism for feeding said ejected tapethrough a projection system, said mechanism comprising a pulling roll,means for rotating said roll, said means including a motor mechanism,means having conductive and non-conductive portions, a bell-crank lever,said bell-crank lever having one arm normally in contact with thenon-conductive means, and a solenoid operating on the other arm of saidlever and controlled by the data-recording device, whereby thefirst-mentioned arm will be advanced on to the conductive portion andthe motor operated.

2. In combination, a ticker adapted to eject a tape therefrom, a tapepulling mechanism for feeding said tape through a projection system,

said mechanism comprising a pulling roll, means for rotating said roll,said means including a. motor mechanism, means having conductive andnon-conductive portions, a bell-crank lever, said bell-crank leverhaving one arm normally in contact with the non-conductive portion, asolenoid operating on the other arm of said lever and i controlled bythe ticker mechanism, whereby the rst-mentioned arm will be advanced onto the conductive portion and the motor operated, and means to increasethe speed of the motor.

3. In combination, a ticker adapted to eject a tape therefrom, a tapepulling mechanism for feeding said tape through a projection system,said mechanism comprising a pulling roll, means for rotating said roll,said means including a motor mechanism, means having conductive andnonconductive portions, a bell crank lever, said bellcrank lever havingone arm normally in contact with the non-conductive means, a. solenoidoperating on the other arm of said lever and controlled by the tickermechanism, whereby the first-mentioned arm will be advanced on to theconductive portion and the motor operated, and means to increase thespeed of the motor, said last named means being controlled by the tapelbeing fed.

4. In combination, a ticker adapted to eject a tape therefrom, and meansfor feeding said tape through a projection system, said feeding vmeanscomprising a motor mechanism, a switch element having conductive andnon-conductive portions, a. bell-crank lever, a spring for normallymaintaining one arm of said bell-crank lever in contact with saidnon-conductive portion, a solenoid-of the plunger type controlled bysaid ticker, said plunger connected at one end to the other arm o1' saidlever, whereby the rst-mentioned arm will be advanced on to theconductive portion and the motor operated when the ticker operates, and

means for retarding the action of said spring when the ticker stopsoperating.

5. In combination, a ticker adapted to eject a tape therefrom, means forfeeding said tape through a projection system, said feeding meanscomprising a motor mechanism, a switch element having conductive andnon-conductive portions, a bell-crank lever, a spring for normallymaintaining one arm of said bell-crank lever in contact with saidnon-conductive portion, a solenoid of the plunger type controlled bysaid ticker, said plunger connected at one end to the other arm of saidlever, whereby the first-mentioned arm will be advanced on to theconductive portion and the motor operated when the ticker operates, anda dash pot connected to the other end of said plunger whereby the actionof said spring will be retarded when the ticker stops operating.

6. In combination, a ticker adapted to eject a tape therefrom, means forfeeding said tape through a projection system, said feeding meanscomprising a motor mechanism, a switch element having conductive andnon-conductive portions, a bell-crank lever, a spring for normallymaintaining one arm of said bell-crank lever in contact with saidnon-conductive portion, a solenoid of the plunger type controlled bysaid ticker, said plunger connected at one end to the other arm of saidlever, whereby the first-mentioned arm will be advanced on to theconductive portion and the motor operated when the ticker operates,means for retarding the action of said spring when the ticker stopsoperating, and means to increase the speed of the motor mechanism, saidlast named means being controlled by the tape.

7. 'I'he combination with a device for printing characters on a tape, ofa motor operating substantially at constant speed for moving said tapethrough a projection eld, and means for substantially increasing theoperating speed of said motor, said means being operated in response tothe accumulation of tape between said device and said projection iield,

8. 'I'he combination with a device for printing characters on a tape, ofa motor operating substantially at constant speed for moving said tapethrough a projection eld, and means for substantially increasing theoperating speed of said motor, said means comprising a member riding ona loop formed in the tape between said device and said projection eld.

9. The combination with a device for printing characters on a tape, of amotor operating substantially at constant speed for moving said tapethrough a projection eld, and means for substantially increasing theoperating speed of said motor, said means comprising a member riding ona loop formed in the tape between said device and said projection eld,said means comprising a device operated in response to accumulation oftape between said device and said projection field.

and upon lowering of said member to thereby increase the speed of saidmotor.

WM. S. PRITCHARD.

